Almanac Tennis: The top 15 Australian Mens Tennis Players 1985-2024
In late 2014, I presented my list of the Top 15 Australian Mens tennis players from 1974-2014.
Ten years later, it now seems opportune to revise that list. A number of the players included in that earlier list such as Peter McNamara, Paul McNamee, John Alexander, Phil Dent, Kim Warwick and Mark Edmondson are excluded from this updated list given they completed most or all of their tennis careers prior to 1985.
As with the earlier list, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter and Patrick Cash are seamless selections for the top three spots on the basis that they remain the only Australian Grand Slam singles winners in this era.
Hewitt won a remarkable 30 titles including two Grand Slams, held the number one ranking for over 18 months, and was a consistent top ten player for about seven years. Rafter won 11 titles including two Grand Slams, was ranked number one in 1999, and held a top 20 ranking for about five years. Cash won seven titles including Wimbledon, and reached number four in the world in 1988.
Mark Philippoussis just retains number four on the basis of reaching two Grand Slam finals. He won 11 titles, and reached his highest ranking of number 8 in 1999. Yet, Alex De Minaur is closing fast on Philipoussis. Despite his defeat in this year’s Australian Open quarter-final by world number one Jannik Sinner, he remains number eight in the world. He has won nine titles, and made the quarter finals of the last four Grand Slams in a row. In November 2024, he became the first Australian since Hewitt in 2004 to qualify for the ATP Tour Finals.
Nick Kyrgios has won seven titles, and was runner up at Wimbledon in 2022. His highest ever ranking was 13 in 2016. Chronic injuries may mean we have already seen the best of Kyrgios. Wally Masur won three titles, reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and the US Open, and achieved his highest ranking of 15 in 1993. Bernard Tomic won four titles, reached the quarter finals at Wimbledon in 2011, and achieved his highest ranking of 17 in 2016. His current ranking of 216 suggests he has played his best tennis.
John Fitzgerald was a David Cup hero who won six titles, made the fourth round of Grand Slams four times, and secured a top 25 ranking in 1988. The two Woodies were the dominant doubles combination of the 1990s, winning 11 Grand Slam doubles together. Todd Woodbridge won 16 Grand Slam doubles in total, and two singles titles. He reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 1997, and achieved a highest singles ranking of 19. Woodforde won a total of 12 Grand Slam doubles titles, and four singles titles. He reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 1996, and also achieved a highest singles ranking of 19.
Alexei Popyrin grabs number 12 on this list. He has won three titles, including this year’s Masters 1000 Canadian Open, reached the fourth round of the US Open in 2024 by defeating the reigning champion Novak Djokovic, and achieved his highest ranking of 23 in 2024. Another current player, Jordan Thompson, sits at number 13. He won his first title in 2024, and achieved his highest ranking of 26 in late 2024.
Jason Stoltenberg won four titles, reached the fourth round of two Grand Slams, and achieved a highest ranking of 19 in 1994. Finally, Richard Fromberg won four titles, twice reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, and achieved his highest ranking of 24 in 1990.
Others who didn’t quite make this Top 15 list but would deserve strong consideration for inclusion in an extended top 25 include Darren Cahill whose highest ranking was 22 in 1989, John Millman who advanced to a highest ranking of 33 in 2018, Andrew Ilie who achieved a peak ranking of 38 in 2000, Matthew Ebden whose highest ranking was 39 in 2018, Scott Draper whose best ranking was 42 in 1999, Wayne Arthurs who achieved a ranking of 44 in 2001, Marinko Matosevic who reached a ranking of 39 in 2013, Peter Doohan who peaked at 43 in 1987, Mark Kratzmann whose peak ranking was 50 in 1990, and Sam Groth whose peak ranking was 53 in 2015.
The Top 15 Australian Men 1985 – 2024
Lleyton Hewitt
Patrick Rafter
Patrick Cash
Mark Philipoussis
Alex De Minaur
Nick Kyrgios
Wally Masur
Bernard Tomic
John Fitzgerald
Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde
Alexei Popyrin
Jordan Thompson
Jason Stoltenberg
Richard Fromberg
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Philip Mendes is an academic who follows AFL, soccer, tennis and cricket. He supported Fitzroy Football Club from 1970-1996, and on their death he adopted the North Melbourne Kangaroos as his new team. In his spare time, he occasionally writes about his current and past football teams.
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This is a very good list.
I realise the list can’t go on forever, but if there were to be an extended top 35 list, others worthy of strong consideration would include in no particular order:
John Frawley had a highest singles ranking of 35 in 1988. He made both the 4th rounds of the Australian Open and US Open in 1988. His older brother, Rod Frawley, who doesn’t qualify for this list, won 1 singles title and was ranked 43 in singles in 1980 and made the quarter finals of the Australian Open in 1980 and the semi finals of Wimbledon in 1981, losing to eventual champion, John McEnroe.
Matt Purcell was ranked 40 in singles in 2023 and has been an excellent doubles player winning Wimbledon in 2022 and the US Open in 2024, as well as a finalist in the Australian Open doubles in 2020 and 2022. In mixed doubles, he was a quarter finalist in the Australian Open in 2021 and a semi finalist at the US Open in 2021.
James Duckworth was ranked 46 in singles in 2022. In doubles, he was a quarter finalist at the Australian Open in 2020.
Aleksandar Vukic has been ranked 48 in singles in 2023 and made the 3rd round the Australian Open in 2025, where he narrowly lost in 5 sets to Jack Draper. Vukic beat Sebastian Korda in the 2nd round of the Australian Open in 2025.
Sandton Stolle was ranked 50 in singles in 1997. In doubles, he won the US Open in 1998 and was a Finalist at both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2000, as well as a quarter finalist at the Australian Open in 2001.
Rinky Hinjikata has been ranked 62 in singles in 2023 and made the 4th round of the US Open in 2023. In doubles, he won the Australian Open in 2023 with Jason Kubler.
Jason Kubler was ranked 63 in singles in 2023. He made the 4th round of Wimbledon in 2022. In doubles, he won the Australian Open in 2023 with Rinky Hijikata.
Thanasi Kokkinakis has been ranked 65 in singles in 2023. He has beaten several big name players, including Roger Federer. In the 2018 Miami Open. In doubles, he was ranked 15 in 2022 and won the Australian Open with Nick Kyrgios in 2022.
Chris Guccione was ranked 67 in singles in 2008. In doubles, he was a quarter finalist at the Australian Open in 2017 and a quarter finalist at the US Open in 2009 and 2016.
John Peers was ranked 2 in doubles in 2017. In doubles, he has won the Australian Open doubles in 2017, a Finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2015, as well as a quarter finalist at the French Open in 2018. In mixed doubles, he won the US Open in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2025. He was a semi finalist at Wimbledon in 2021 and the French Open in 2022. He also won a Gold Medal in the men’s doubles in 2024, at the Paris Olympics.
Anon, thank you, some excellent additions there. I probably should have included John Peers for his doubles achievements just as I included Rennae Stubbs in the female list for her doubles successes.
As always Phil, good stuff. Of course the contributions by Anon are very valuable. You’ve both brought back a lot of memories for me.
Phil you mentioned at the start a number of players were excluded as they’d played most of their tennis prior to 1985 but I’d like to add a bit about Paul McNamee.
In 1985, and 1986, he reached four doubles finals. In 1986 he was a finalist in two singles tournaments. He also played in the winning 1986 Davis Cup final. Capping it off he also was a partner with the great Martina Navratilova in the 1985 Wimbledon mixed doubles.
Glen!
Hi Glen, thanks for adding those details. McNamee got better with age from memory. We briefly met him years ago at the Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley when he was running unsuccessfully to head Tennis Australia, friendly guy.